The present invention relates to a sanitary rail structure for a food products storage and transfer vessel such as is commonly employed in the poultry and meat processing industries during butchering, boning, trimming, and packing operations. It should be pointed out that the term "sanitary rail structure," as herein used, is employed to denote a closed continuous reinforcing rim member extending around the open peripheral edge of a food products vessel.
In view of the present stringent government regulations imposed upon the food processing industry for maintaining sanitary conditions, as well as the continual scrutiny of food processing operations by government sanitation inspectors, it is incumbent upon the industry to utilize processing equipment which may be easily cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition at all times. Traditionally, food processing equipment is fabricated from polished stainless steel, which has the advantages of being corrosion resistant, structurally strong, and easily cleaned and maintained. In addition, food containing vessels and container equipment are generally provided with a reinforcing edge structure about the open end, which structures are usually either of the so-called "rolled rim" or "bar rail" types.
The rolled rim type of reinforced edge structure used at present is integral with the vessel and is formed integrally from the sidewall material thereof by bending the upper peripheral edge material of the vessel outward, downward and inward toward the side walls to produce either a rounded semicircular structure open on the underside thereof, or, bending the edge material further around to abut the sidewalls and form a tubular structure wherein the leading edge thereof is weldably connected to the external sidewall of said vessel, thereby providing a continuous closed rim about the open end of said vessel. In either case however, both the semicircular and closed tubular rolled rim structure configurations have the disadvantage of providing a lower surface which is conducive to the collection and accumulation of food processing waste and contaminants thereon, as well as said surface not being easily accessible for purposes of cleaning. In addition, the leading edge of the closed tubular rolled rim structure configuration is not easily accessible for weldably connecting the same to the external sidewall of the vessel, and a cracked or faulty weld is unacceptable in that it provides crevices wherein food processing waste and contaminants collect and thereby prevent obtaining the necessary sanitary features which are required.
The bar rail type of reinforced edge structure used at present is fabricated by weldably affixing a rectangular tubular bar about the open peripheral edge of the food storage and transfer vessel, which requires two welds, one of which connects the upper peripheral outer edge of said vessel to the upper vessel-side corner of the bar, and the other of which connects the lower vessel-side corner of the bar to the vessel sidewall. In the bar rail reinforced edge structure, as was also the case with the rolled rim structure, there is a lower surface which is conducive to the collection and accumulation of food processing waste and contaminants thereon, as well as said surface not being easily accessible for cleaning. Likewise, the lower vessel-side corner of the bar rail members adjacent the side panels are not easily accessible for welding the same to said external sidewall of the vessel. Additionally, because of the fact that two welds are required to connect a bar rail reinforcing rim about the open peripheral edge of the vessel, structural stresses are created which frequently result in vessel distortion.
The objectionable features and shortcomings of the rolled rim and bar rail types of food processing vessel edge reinforcing structures are obviated in the design of a sanitary rail structure comprising the present invention, and a substantially improved food products storage and transfer vessel is provided which has an edge reinforcing and protective rail structure, the details of which are as follows.